The Avenue
'' The Avenue ''(acronymised as either 'TA', or by its project code 'AVE') is a Writers Express forum serial drama created in December 2011 by the production company eventually known as Red Lion Pictures (RLP). This company has had several names and staff over the years, but since 2015, consists only of Noxy and founder Ross. The original version of the project (now retroactively known as The Avenue 1.0) ran for 167 episodes from 19th December 2011-19th December 2016 - exactly five years (although its demise was not announced until a year later, 19th December 2017). This makes it the third most volumous project on Writers Express in terms of episodes, behind'' (Noxy project) These Days 1.0'' (173 episodes) and unbeaten title holder Uncertain Nights (270 episodes) - a project which also involved Noxy and Ross. In January 2017, RLP relased a statement on Writers Express (known as Lit in 2018) announcing that the project was to 'take an extended break'. However, in a new statement posted on 19th December 2017 - the project's sixth anniversary, and a year to the day since the most recent episode was published - it was revealed that the project had come to an end. This decision was in part due to Noxy and Ross feeling that five years to the day was a good point to draw a line, but also because a brand-new version of the project had been in discussion and development for some time, beginning in 2016. Hence, RLP wanted to put the project on ice to make a final decision about whether to continue with the then current version, or start afresh. In the end they chose to do the latter. As such, the original version is now retroactively referred to as The Avenue 1.0. As of Friday 20th September 2019, the number of episodes the project has published to date is 3'. The Avenue 1.0 ''Main article: The Avenue 1.0 Title Card The title card depicts a blurred backdrop of an overground Tube station. The logo uses the word 'THE' stacked on top of the word 'Avenue' in the southeast corner of the title card, a nod to both the soap's London setting, and the southeast of London itself, in white, Lato fonts. The logo is backed up by a horizontal, semi-transparent strip along the bottom which is coloured yellow, the project's trademark colour since 2014. The strip becomes decreasingly transparent from left to right. Theme Tune The theme tune to this contemporary version of The Avenue is not one of those used in The Avenue 1.0. It is an instrumental cover version of the song 'When We Were Young' by The Killers (2006). RLP agreed on using a 'warm, jangly and lively' cover version as they felt the original version of this song was 'a bit too rocky'. Sets The Avenue consists of a wide variety of sets; these principally include the following: *Albion Street bus stops (northbound/southbound) '- adjacent bus stops situated in the heart of Catford Grove *'Call The Shots (bar) '- co-owned by Vik Nowak, but co-owned and managed by Nikhila Ganesh and Tom Wilkins *'Catford Academy (secondary school) '- attended by students including Bobbie Anderson, Jess Westaway, Perry Castle and others *'Catford Grove (suburb) '- home to all these sets *'Catford News (newsagent) '- owned and run by Darcus and Trish Castle, with long-time shop assistant Claire Learner *'Catford Overground (tube station) '- situated centrally in Catford Grove *'Drop Dead Gorgeous (salon)' - owned and run by Georgia Castle, with Rani Ganesh working there p/t as a hairdresser, and Ruby Brannigan as a nail technician *'Nowak Motors (garage) '- owned and run by Vik Nowak, with mechanic Graham Rossi *'Nosh (café) '- owned and run by Maria Nowak *'The Red Lion (pub) '- owned and run by Charlie and Leyla Westaway, who also live there with two of their three children, Jess and Rory, dog Bella and rabbit Roger *'This'n'That (charity shop) '- run by Shirley Wilkins, with volunteers Doris Carwell and Michael Brannigan *'University of Lewisham Thames (ULT)' - attended by local undergraduates such as Rani Ganesh and Rory Westaway Some sets are either unseen or little seen, but may be mentioned from time to time. For example, 'Albion Street Primary School''' which is attended by pupils Alfie Anderson, Hallie Carwell and Hayden Carwell Current Cast (alphabetical order, forename first)